Simply put:
CFS is fun.
There's more to it than that, but really... that's the bottom line, at least for me.
When I no longer enjoy myself doing any particular activity, I look for something else.
Message boards and writing have been a large part of my life for too many years to count. Sex is a topic of great interest to me -- CFS combines these things in a nice little package.
I enjoy hearing about the lives of other gay men. I am fascinated by our similarities and our differences. I'm intrigued with the gay subculture and I get a bang out of hearing various stories regarding experiences others have had -- as well as sharing my own.
But there's also lots of room for serious contributions to our community here -- I DO wish the forums were more active and we had a steady influx of new users. We can teach each other things here. Safe sex is a priority of mine -- it makes sense that I'd want to help educate those who have questions about that topic, or at least point them in the right direction. Sexual discussion leads to discussion about the human body in general -- sexual science and medical issues are common here. I find these things fun and interesting.
CFS doesn't moderate forums for "offensive" language: I love to write colloquially and have the freedom to use vulgarity anytime I like, whether it is gratuitously or seriously.
This isn't the only message board I use, and certainly not the first. But it IS one of my favorites. After spending a long time here, you start to feel as if you "know" some of the other members, insomuch as anyone can "know" anyone else in an online arena. But this type of community feeling isn't unique to CFS: it's part of the message board experience just about everywhere, with some exceptions made for forums who have such large populations of newbies asking the same questions over and over, as you might find in a forum about, say, common computer issues, etc.
I certainly DO feel altruistic to a very slim degree if I can provide information that actually helps someone, but after all these years online posting on message boards, I'm well aware that advice isn't always appreciated, even when it is SOUGHT. Sometimes folks only want to hear what they WANT to hear.
And while it is true what KD said, that sometimes there are folks on message boards who have an agenda and desire to "convert" others to their own way of thinking, I tend to believe these are few and far between -- and most of them, when they do show up, usually try to be obnoxious for a few weeks and then tend to vanish. I certainly hope no one here thinks I am one of those types of people. While I am VERY opinionated, I am not foolish enough to believe that others will suddenly start living their lives as I choose to live my own. I ENJOY sharing my opinion, so I provide it freely and openly. THIS is a large part of what I enjoy about CFS -- the freedom to express my opinions as I see fit.
Others often disagree with me and express THEIR opinions in turn. Yet it seems a lot of folks get upset if I defend my opinions. I don't really understand this... but I don't think it's necessary that I do.
I'd rather just have a good time -- and CFS provides that.
One last thing: it seems that the majority of CFS users are here seeking sex. This is as it should be: promoting sexual freedom and making sexual connections is pretty much the basis of the site, or at least the genesis of it, though it has changed over the years somewhat. So the responses you get here, in the Special Interests section of the boards, will probably NOT be reflective of the opinions of MOST of the guys who come here simply seeking a bed buddy and having little or no interest in social issues.
Keep that in mind.
Good luck with your writing.
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